Tag Archives: Jim Riggleman

Washington most volatile city for pro coaches – USA Today
In news that isn’t exactly shocking to Washingtonians, the teams that call the Nation’s Capital home (Washington Nationals, Washington Capitals, Washington Redskins and Washington Wizards) go through coaches quicker than any other city. MLS and the WNBA were not included in the analysis, though I don’t think including D.C. United or the Washington Mystics would change the conclusion. Details:

In its study, USA TODAY analyzed manager/head coach turnover rates by sport, franchise and market, using each team’s five most recent full-time bosses. Interim appointments weren’t included, unless the person subsequently was given the job for the next season. MLB and NFL teams were charted through the conclusion of the 2011 season; NHL and NBA coaches through the halfway point of the 2011-12 campaign.

In three of the four jobs, he took over during the season as an interim manager. The Padres kept him for two years, the Mariners made a change when a new general manager was hired in the offseason and he was with the Nationals for a total of about two years (with one-year contracts for a reported $600,000 annually).

“As an interim manager, if you then manage on a one-year contract, for all intents and purposes you’re still an interim manager,” Riggleman said. “There’s a little more of a feeling that nobody’s ever been too sure whether you should be here or not.”

Riggleman stresses he isn’t blaming management for his departure from the Nationals. “I did what I thought was the right thing. I never said it was the smart thing,” he said.

Susan O’Malley is quoted, but after her tenure with the Bullets/Wizards, she doesn’t deserve to be heard. If you don’t remember, she pioneered marketing the visiting teams rather than the home team, especially with the Bullets.

Dale Hunter of the Caps and Randy Wittman will both be out as head coaches of their respective teams following the conclusion of their seasons in April or May. Book it. Mike Shanahan has at least one more season with he Redskins while Davey Johnson is a wild card with the Nats. Johnson is already the second-longest tenured head man in D.C. and he started last June. I don’t know how long he will be around, since he keeps saying “if we don’t make the playoffs, they can fire me.”

I’d be curious to see how D.C. shakes out with general manager tenure — they seem to stick around a lot longer (perhaps too long).

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Walking out of Nationals Park yesterday with my dad, I was pretty ecstatic. The Washington Nationals had just beaten the Seattle Mariners to improve their record to 38-37, the first time they had a winning record in the summertime since 2005. They did with 8 innings of shutout pitching by Jason Marquis and Tyler Clippard pitching a scoreless 9th. Marquis even had a no hitter for over 5 innings, but it was broken up by Michael Pineda, the M’s pitcher.

The bottom of the 9th was one that Riggleman will hopefully savor, because the Nats got to BUNT TO WIN. A hit, two bunts loaded the bases, Laynce Nix flied out to left to get the game-winning RBI.

Of course, by the time I had transferred to the Yellow Line at L’nfant Plaza, I had gotten a text message from former Pentagon City Bureau Chief that Riggleman resigned. RE-SIGNED OR RESIGNED?! I got clarification and was shocked that Riggleman would do something so rash, especially as he was seemingly building leverage. Sure, he didn’t have a contract for next year, but he still had one for this year. Some suggest that he quit on his players, but based on his remarks that some of them were probably thrilled by the news, perhaps he felt they quit on him despite the recent winning. Still, Riggleman seriously overplayed his hand here in demanding a conversation or extension (depends on who you ask) by the close of business, for lack of a better term. I can understand why he’s frustrated that the Nats and GM Mike Rizzo apparently thought of him as nothing more than placeholder manager and paid him accordingly, but that’s what you get when your career managerial winning percentage is one of the worst in history. Sure, Riggleman never had great teams given to him, but that’s the way it goes. He finally had some players with an upside and he was getting a lot out of them right now — best way to market oneself.

Now, Riggleman isn’t the only one who screwed up here. Once again, the front office communicated poorly with others in the organization. Mike Rizzo has certainly one a solid job in negotiating with Scott Boras over #1 draft picks and found some gems (Jordan Zimmermann and Michael Morse), but his social graces are quite lacking. This is really an indictment of the whole organization, not just Riggleman.

Of course, if they take 2 of 3 from the White Sox over the weekend in Chicago, nobody will much care.

I probably should be mad about all this, another one step forward, two steps backwards moment for the organization, but I’m not — in fact I am quite entertained. Yesterday evening was quite entertaining, whether it be on Twitter or the Nats radio post-game show or just my own cocktail party suppositions with my wife about all of this. She was a good sport about it by the way.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — They say that you may see something new in every baseball game.* That was the case yesterday, as the Washington Nationals hosted the San Francisco Giants. The visitors walked 9 Nats and hit 3 of them with pitches, but only gave up a run. The Giants played with fire throughout the game as Jonathan Sanchez loaded the bases in the first and second inning. At one point, I recall his pitch count being 24 balls and 14 strikes in the second inning. The Giants had some misadventures fielding as well, but DC could only take advantage of this with one run.

John Lannan pitched well, only giving up a home run to Eli Whiteside in the 3rd. In the seventh, with two men on, manager Jim Riggleman had Lannan walk Whiteside intentionally. I disagreed with the decision, even more so when Lannan was kept in for the next batter, Aubrey Huff. Lannan walked Huff too, focing in what would be the winning run. Another tough loss for Lannan. He did have an excellent 1-6 double-play on a comebacker to the mound. Lannan chased Huff around between 2nd and 3rd, tagged him and caught Pat Burrell trying to steal second. The video is worth watching.

The Nats had a chance to win it in the 9th. Two batters walked and Jayson Werth got his by a Brian Wilson pitch. Adam LaRoche worked the count full, but struck out to end the game.

Oh and Ryan Zimmerman needs abdominal surgery. Ugh.

This was my second game at Nationals Park of the season, the first since Opening Day. The crowd, which included a healthy mix of Giants fans, occupied about 70% of the stadium. Good enough to give a little buzz in stands. My wife and I went with members of my office, something we’ve been trying to do forever. I didn’t get a half-smoke because I wasn’t hungry when we arrived and by the time I was, the line was too long.

I have gone back and forth on the Washington Nationals this offseason. They improved 10 games in 2010, despite a disappointing starting rotation. This season, the best part of 2010′s rotation, Stephen Strasburg, is recovering from Tommy John surgery. However, I expect the rotation to improve even without Strasburg. I expect a bounce-back season from Jason Marquis, who struggled due to bone chips in his elbow last season, as well as John Lannan, who came on strong late after a mid-season demotion. Jordan Zimmermann appears healed from his Tommy John surgery and has the potential to be a top 2 starter. I expect some regression from ¡LIVAN! but he should eat a lot of innings/cheeseburgers, especially earlier in the season. I have no idea what to expect from Tom Gorzelanny. I anticipate Yunesky Maya and Ross Detwiler will get some starts as well. Overall, I think the rotation is better.

The bullpen, a strength of last year’s team, probably regresses this year. Matt Capps was strong as the closer, but got traded. Sean Burnett and rookie Drew Storen was solid, though Storen has been rocked this spring. Tyler Clippard pitched an awful lot last year, so I have my concerns about him. Hopefully, the starters can go into the games longer and give the overused bullpen a rest.

For the 7th consecutive season, the Nats are going to open without a proven leadoff hitter. Nyjer Morgan looked like the answer after 2 good months in 2009, but couldn’t keep up production/sanity and was dealt. Ian Desmond is the ad hoc leadoff hitter and newly acquired Jayson Werth is out of place batting 2nd, while Ryan Zimmerman is third up. Adam LaRoche, currently playing with a shoulder problem, is hitting clean-up, but I don’t think he can hold up. Michael Morse enters his first full season and will bat 6th after a strong spring. Danny Espinosa showed power in his September call up, but finished with a .214 average. Small sample size and all, he should be better, but how much better? Ivan Rodriguez/Wilson Ramos will bat 8th with the latter hopefully getting the bulk of the catching duties sooner than later.

Defensively, I expect the infield to be improved. Zimmerman is the best third baseman in baseball. Desmond has to cut down on errors and I think he will, but still be a liability. Espinosa, a converted shortstop, should establish himself as the best second baseman the Nats have had and LaRoche is expected to help all of them out with better defense than departed Adam Dunn at first. If/when LaRoche’s shoulder keeps him out of the lineup, the Nats are probably in trouble. Jayson Werth should provide strog defense in right and occasionally center while retread Rick Ankiel will get the bulk of playing time in center. Morse will see most of the time in left and will have plenty of room to improve.

As much as I want to rationalize a big jump for the Nats, I just can’t do it. I think they win more games than last season, but not many more. The Phillies should dominate the Nats with the best rotation since the 1990s Braves. The Braves will challenge them though and then there is a dropoff. The Nats can’t beat the Marlins. The Mets are in turmoil and probably finish last, meaning 4th or better for D.C. I want to believe, but ultimately, I think we’re looking at a 73-89 record.

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When I was 9 years old, we visited our former neighbors in their new Michigan home for Thanksgiving. According to Bruce Campbell, we didn’t celebrate the right way.

Later that weekend, we piled into the back of a Chevy station wagon (diesel even) and drove through Detroit to Windsor, Ont. just to say we went to Canada, I guess. We had McDonald’s and since it was warm, the back window was rolled down. J.J. shot spitballs onto the Canadian street. Then we got stuck in traffic crossing the Ambassador Bridge and I half-ate a Snickers.